Priority based depopulation of storage ranks

A system for priority based depopulation of ranks in a computing environment, comprising:

• a processor device operable in the computing storage environment, wherein processor device is adapted for:
• prioritizing a plurality of ranks selected for depopulation,
• marking at least one of the plurality of ranks as highest priority ranks and selecting the highest priority ranks for the depopulation,
• marking at least one of the plurality of ranks as lower priority ranks and selecting the lower priority ranks for the depopulation,
• placing in a queue according to an order of priority those of the plurality of ranks marked as the lower priority ranks, wherein the queue is a priority array,
• migrating an extent of the one of the lower priority ranks to another one of the plurality of ranks not selected for depopulation in response to a write operation to an extent of one of lower priority ranks that are placed in a queue,
• selecting the one of the lower priority ranks with newer data for executing a read operation in response to a read operation to one of the lower priority ranks that are placed in the queue,
• depopulating at least one of the plurality of ranks marked as a highest priority rank to at least one of a plurality of targeted ranks, and
• leaving the highest priority rank as unassigned to one of the plurality of targeted ranks following the depopulating until determining if the highest priority rank is to be assigned the one of the plurality of targeted ranks.

A computer program product for priority based depopulation of ranks in a computing storage environment by a processor device, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

• a first executable portion for prioritizing a plurality of ranks selected for depopulation;
• a second executable portion for marking at least one of the plurality of ranks as highest priority ranks and selecting the highest priority ranks for the depopulation;
• a third executable portion for marking at least one of the plurality of ranks as lower priority ranks and selecting the lower priority ranks for the depopulation;
• a fourth executable portion for placing in a queue according to an order of priority those of the plurality of ranks marked as the lower priority ranks, wherein the queue is a priority array;
• a fifth executable portion for migrating an extent of the one of the lower priority ranks to another one of the plurality of ranks not selected for depopulation in response to a write operation to an extent of one of lower priority ranks that are placed in a queue;
• selecting the one of the lower priority ranks with newer data for executing a read operation in response to a read operation to one of the lower priority ranks that are placed in the queue;
• a sixth executable portion for depopulating at least one of the plurality of ranks marked as a highest priority rank to at least one of a plurality of targeted ranks;
• and
• a seventh executable portion leaving the highest priority rank as unassigned to one of the plurality of targeted ranks following the depopulating until determining if the highest priority rank is to be assigned the one of the plurality of targeted ranks.